Carpet Cleaning Rentals - Are They a Good Deal?

In these tight economic times it's reasonable to try and do as much home maintenance and repair on your own as possible. And when thinking about cleaning the carpets you may assume doing it yourself will be a piece of cake.

Carpet cleaning isn't necessarily a highly technical job, nor one that's tremendously physically demanding. So, for the average person cleaning the carpets may be a totally do-able job. There are a few things to consider before tackling your own carpet cleaning, though.

DIY Carpet Cleaning

When you rent your own carpet cleaning machine and buy cleaning solutions you're in for a bit of exercise (for a few hours at least). The average carpet machine rental isn't that light, although an average person can handle the machine on their own.

You also have to be able to read, and follow, fairly simple instructions on how to mix cleaning solutions and set up the machine properly.

Do you have a high tolerance for noise? Or some good ear protection? Carpet cleaning machines can be pretty noisy - be prepared.

Tackling your own DIY carpet cleaning isn't for the faint of heart, but you don't have to have a college degree to get the job done either. Strong muscles and an ability to follow directions are about it.

Carpet Cleaning Reviews

If you decide to go with a professional carpet cleaning service you should definitely find as many reviews for them as possible. Just going through a web search and calling the first shiny Internet listing may lead to dissatisfaction with the end job.

Do your research ahead of time. Do searches for stuff like "carpet cleaning reviews [your city]" or "business reviews [business name]". You may even want to invest a few dollars in an Angieslist.com membership to get some really good inside information on a company.

Green Carpet Cleaning

If you're into the green/eco/environmental mindset you might resist having your carpets professionally cleaned because of some of the chemicals they use. Some cleaners and solvents can cause some unfavorable reactions in people and pets.

When you rent your own carpet cleaning machine you can go ahead and clean your carpet with just water. Or mostly water with a tiny bit of your favorite "green" cleaning solution. Caution: make sure to test that "green" cleaner on an area of carpet that's out of view!

Managing your own carpet cleaning rental puts you in control of exactly what goes into your carpet when you clean it. That's a big bonus when doing it yourself. You can make your carpet cleaning as green and eco-friendly as you'd like.

The upside of doing your own carpet cleaning is there's fairly little money outlay. Renting a machine for a day can be a LOT cheaper than hiring the professionals. But, if you have a particularly dirty or stain-ridden situation then doing it yourself probably isn't a good idea. Try a rental for a little money, and if it doesn't work you can always call the pros.